<p>From the Tallahassee Democrat: Tallahassee</a> Democrat - <a href="http://www.tallahassee.com">www.tallahassee.com</a> - Tallahassee, FL.</p>
<p>Today's FSU students just got the Cadillac of intramural complexes.</p>
<p>It's got acres of velvety playing fields, with state-of-the-art lighting and drainage systems. It's got changing rooms and concession stands and oodles of parking. And it's totally wired: Students can check schedules and weather forecasts online before coming out - or work on their laptops between games because the whole complex is Wi-Fi.</p>
<p>"I think most of the students are amazed," said David Peters, director of FSU intramurals. "When they come out for the first time, the response we've been getting is 'Wow, this is awesome.' "</p>
<p>FSU opened its new Rec SportsPlex on Sept. 14. It covers 108 acres - and is believed to be the largest university intramural complex in the nation. It has 12 multi-purpose fields, five softball fields. There is "festival space" for concerts and events. Student fees paid the $12 million cost.</p>
<p>What's going to get old grads scratching their heads is the location: more than four miles from campus out near the airport. Though off-campus intramural facilities are a trend among universities, older alums may find it incongruous. But, as they may have heard, students today all have cars - as FSU officials were reminded a few years ago.</p>
<p>In 1998, FSU intramurals left the 8-or-so acres of IM fields by Tully Gym for a 14-acre complex near Campbell Stadium along Gaines Street; the new softball-soccer complex was built on the old IM fields. The Gaines Street complex was built on the site of a former concrete plant and it doubles as a parking lot for football games - none of which is good for grass maintenance.</p>
<p>A heavy rain during the 2003 Miami game left the fields an unusable quagmire. For the next four months, all IM games were played off-campus on city owned fields. And for four months, FSU stationed vans at Tully Gym to transport students to the city fields.</p>
<p>No student ever showed up for a ride. They all drove themselves or rode with teammates to the games.</p>
<p>"We're kidding ourselves to think we're still a residential campus, though that's our tradition," said Alicia Crew, FSU director of recreation. "Today, these students live all over town. And they've got cars."</p>
<p>The realization allowed Crew to widen her search for a new IM complex, eventually claiming a portion of what FSU officials now call the "Southwest Campus." It's the area that includes the golf course, TV station, engineering school, Alumni Village and Mag Lab. Ultimately, FSU intends to move most of its research facilities out there, along with further recreation and sports facilities.</p>